More than 3,000 Presbyterian volunteers from 17 states assisted with various stages of construction of the 1,300-square-foot, one-story homes, most of which are located in Gulfport, Miss.
Work on the new dwellings, which replace homes destroyed in the August 2005 storm, kicked off in November thanks to a partnership between the Presbytery of Mississippi Disaster Recovery Office and International Relief and Development-U.S. (IRD-US), a partnership formed through the Harrison County (Miss.) Long Term Recovery Coalition (HCLTRC).
The presbytery’s disaster recovery office manages new home-construction projects with volunteer labor while using grants from HCLTRC funding partners to pay for construction supplies, subcontractors, plumbing and electrical work.
“IRD-US and Mississippi Presbytery have worked together to overcome many obstacles and challenges that surface as a result of limited funding and resources,” said Lori West, executive director of IRD-US and co-chair of HCLTRC’s board of directors. “The partnerships and the relationships we have built through the [Harrison County] long term recovery committee are critical to the rebuilding process.”
Funding partners for the building project included The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, and Presbyterian churches from around the country.
IRD-US case managers are still working to identify unmet needs along the Gulf Coast and to access funding for future construction projects in partnership with Mississippi Presbytery.
A grant from the Mississippi Governor’s Hurricane Relief fund paid for frame and trusses for the homes. Triple D Truss, an Amish construction company in Pennsylvania, works with the presbytery to provide prefabricated frames and trusses at cost for the new home-construction projects.
Volunteers from the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Storm Aid Group installed foundations. Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren volunteers staying at a MDS camp in Pass Christian, Miss., and at area Presbyterian churches assisted with construction.
“Working with Mennonite, Amish, and Brethren volunteers is great. It’s a learning experience for all of us,” said Lynn Lanier, construction manager at Westminster Church in Gulfport. “Not only are we building new homes, we’re learning about brothers and sisters in faith that we never knew much about before.”
